Grill-heater for restaurant table

ABSTRACT

A grill-heater for a restaurant table or the like comprising a housing projecting downwardly into a recess in the table and having a heater element mounted adjacent the bottom of the housing, an inner grid member mounted in the housing above the electrical heating element, a plurality of heat storing units, such as stones or rocks, supported on the inner grid member, and an outer grill member mounted at the top of the housing and being adapted to support food, such as steaks, thereon to heat or cook the same.

United States Patent [1 1 Epperson et al.

[111 3,745,303 [4 1 July 10, 1973 GRILL-HEATER FOR RESTAURANT TABLE [76] Inventors: Charles N. Epperson; Roy A.

Human, both of 1203 S. Wood Drive, Okmulgee, Okla. 74447 [22] Filed:Oct. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 190,074

[52] U.S. C1 219/218, 99/450, 108/25 [51] Int. Cl. H0511 H00 [58] Fieldof Search 219/218, 365, 378,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,527,154 9/1970 Shaper99/446 X 3,487,199 12/1969 Hamlin 219/399 2,790,434 4/ 1957 Del Francia126/41 R 11/1928 Medearis.... ..219/430 5/1956 Lang ..99/447 PrimaryExaminer-C. L. Albritton Attorney-William S. Dorman [5 7] ABSTRACT Agrill-heater for a restaurant table or the like comprising a housingprojecting downwardly into a recess in the table and having a heaterelement mounted adjacent the bottom of the housing, an inner grid membermounted in the housing above the electrical heating element, a pluralityof heat storing units, such as stones or rocks, supported on the innergrid member, and an outer grill member mounted at the top of the housingand being adapted to support food, such as steaks, thereon to heat orcook the same.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented July 10, 1973 3,745,303

2 Sheets-Sheet l CHARLES N. EPPERSON ROY A. HUMAN 60 INVENTORS ATTORNEY2 Sheets-Sheet B CHARLES N. EPPERSON ROY A. HUMAN INVENTORS ATTORNEYGRILL-HEATER FOR RESTAURANT TABLE 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates to grill-heaters and, more particularly, to agrill-heater of the type adapted to be placed in a central recess in arestaurant table where the patron can have individual control over theheating and/or cooking of his food.

2. The Prior Art The prior art broadly teaches the idea of combininb aheating means with a table. Furthermore, the prior art teaches the useof electrical heating means together with thermostatic controls formaintaining temperature. However, the prior art does not show or suggestthe feature of an inner grid member with separate heat storing bodiesmaintained thereof in positions spaced from the electrical heating unitto maintain a more even control of temperature.

Summary of the Invention Eating out in a restaurant should always be aleisurely undertaking. Often times in the past, however, when eatingsteak, for example, the steak will become cold before the meal isfinished. With the grill-heater of the present invention, the restaurantpatron can cut off portions as desired, leaving the remainder of thesteak on the grill to be kept warm. Also, in the event that the steak isnot sufficiently cooked to meet the whims of the particular patron, thesteak can be left on the grillheater for further cooking.

The grill-heater of the present invention is located in a rectangular,and preferably centrally located, opening in the restaurant table. Thesurface of the table surrounding the opening will provide sufficientspace for plates, eating utensils and the like. A downwardly projectinghousing is provided in the rectangular opening in the table and anelectrical heating element is located adjacent the bottom of thehousing. Preferably, a sheet or layer of asbestos wool is located at thebottom of the housing below the heater element. Above the heater elementthere is located an inner grid member on which is supported a pluralityof heat retaining units such as rock, stone, or, possibly, other ceramicmaterials. At the topof the housing is located an outer grill memberupon which the steaks or other food can be heated or further cooked. Acover member can also be placed over the grill-heater. An insulatingmember made of sheet asbestos material will surround the bottom of thehousing to prevent unnecessary heat loss. Thermostats and thermostaticcontrols can be provided as desired, with individual controls for eachtable being provided as desired.

In one modification of the present invention, a cover member is providedwith one or more openings in which one or more vessels can be receivedfor the purpose of heating or cooking liquids containing vegetables orsauces. Thus, an entire meal can be cooked and- /or heated at eachtable.

Whereas the upper opening of the housing is preferably circular theshape of the outer grill member is preferably rectangular so as toprovide openings in the corners of the grill member where the steak ofother food can be placed without exposing the same to the direct heat ofthe grill heater unit.

The employment of heat storing or heat retaining means on an inner gridmember separate from the heating unit provides a smooth control of thetemperature within each heating unit and, at the same time, preventscontact between the heat storing units and the heating element whichmight otherwise damage the heating element or interfere with the properoperation thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thetable in which is mounted the grill-heater of the present invention withcover thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the table of FIG. 1 with the grill-heatershown in transverse cross section;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the grill heater itself with the cover removed;

FIG. 4 is another plan view of the grill heater with the cover and outergrill member removed;

FIG. 5 is another plan view of the grill heater with the cover, outergrill member and inner grid member removed; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 showing the details of amodified cover arrangement.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a restaurant table 10having a relatively flat table top 12 and a plurality of legs 14. By theterm restaurant table it is merely intended to connote that the presentinvention will have greater applicability in a commercial sense;however, the table could be described as a picnic table or othertablewhich could even be used in the home, if desired.

The table top 12 is provided with a rectangular opening 16 in which ismounted or received the various elements of the heater-grill of thepresent invention as generally designated by the reference character 18.The grill-heater 18 includes an outer and lower casing 20 which can bemade of fiberglas, molded asbestos, etc. The outer casing 20 is shapedso as to provide a recess 22 and flat side edges 24 which rest on theedge of the table top 12 surrounding the opening 16. A housing 26,preferably of metal, is mounted over the casing 20 and is shaped so asto provide a recess 28 and flattened side edges 30 which rest againstthe flattened side edges 24 of the casing 20 around the periphery of theopening 16. The flattened side edges 30 terminate in a vertical flange32 extending circumferentially and rectangularly around the top of thecasing 26. An electrical heating element 34 is mounted in the housing 26adjacent the bottom of the recess 28. A layer 36 of insulating material,such as asbestos wool, or the like, lies on the bottom of the housing 26below the heater 34. Above the heater element 34 there is mounted aninner grid member 38 which is adapted to support thereon a plurality ofheat storing units 40. The heat storing units could be a plurality ofrocks or stones or ceramic bod- At the upper end of the housing 26 thereis mounted an outer grill member 42 which is essentially rectangular inshape and which sits in the rectangular space formed by the flanges 32.A rectangular cover member 44 having a downwardly directed flange 46 isadapted to enclose the grill-heater 18. The flange 46 is adapted to bereceived in the rectangular space formed by the flange 32 immediatelyabove the outer grill member 42; obviously, the cover could be fittedonto the top of the grill heater 18 in a number of other different ways.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the two ends 48 and 50 of the electricalheating element 34 project inwardly into the interior of the housing 26at one side thereof, flare outwardly from each other past the center ofthe bottom end, then converge towards each other, then form a loop 52which is directed back towards the point of entry of the ends 48 and 50;the resulting outline presents a modified wishbone effect. I

As best shown in FIG. 4, the inner grid member 38 is formed by acircular ring 54, a plurality of parallel rods 56 welded at their endsto the ring 54 and a transverse diametrical rod 58 which is welded tothe parallel rods. The rods 56 are spaced sufficiently close to eachother to prevent the stones 40 from falling therethrough and contactingthe heater element 34 so as to possibly damage the same.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the outer grill member 42 is comprised of ametal casting having a plurality of rectangular holes 60 therein. Ifsteak or bread is placed over the holes 60 near the center of the grill42, the heating effect thereon will be the maximum; however, it shouldbe apparent that the food article could be placed over the holes 60adjacent the corners of the grill 42 so as to be out of the direct pathof heat.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a fine-wire mesh screen 61 is adapted tounderlie the outer grill member 42. This screen 61 is of rectangularshape and exactly fits inside of the rectangular space formed by theflanges 32. The purpose of this screen is to effectively catch allparticles such as bread crumbs, pieces of steak, etc. which fall throughthe holes 60 in the grill 42 and which would otherwise fall into theheating cavity below. Thus, the screen 61 prevents pieces of steak orbread from falling on the storing units 40 so as to eliminateundesirable odors of burning food and smoke. F urthermore, this screenprovides an additional safety feature in that a person cannot readilyinsert a knife or fork or skewer through the grill 42 into the heatingcavity and make contact with the heating element 34, so as to causedamage or shock.

The outer edges of the flattened portions 24 are covered by arectangular metallic member 62. The heater 34 is connected toanyconvenient source of electrical power (not shown) by means of variousconduits 64, 66 and 68 and junction boxes 70 and 72. Where there are aplurality of tables with grill-heaters 18 mounted therein, it ispreferable that a separate electrical control (not shown) be provided topermit individual control of each unit.

FIG. 6 shows a modification which permits the heating of vegetabledishes, sauces and the like. In this instance, the cover 44 is providedwith a plurality of openings 74 and 76 and 78 in which are receivedvessels 80, 82 and 84, respectively. The vessels maybe provided withindividual covers (not shown) if desired. The lower ends of the vessels80, 82 and 84 will project downwardly into the space above the outergrill 42 but will be exposed to the heat provided by the heater element34 and as radiated by the heat-storing units 40. Thus, any vegetables orsauces or the like contained in the vessels would be heated.

A thermostat (not shown) is preferably located within the housing 26 andany convenient thermostatic control (not shown) can be employed toregulate the temperature within each grill-heater unit 18. Theheatstoring rocks 40 provide a more even temperature condition withinthe grill-heater unit and compensate for the on and off fluctuations ofthe heater unit 34. The inner grid 38 isolates the heat-storing rocks 40from the heater unit 34 and prevents the heat-storing rocks fromdamaging the heater element 34 or from causing unequal localized heatingconditions at the surface of the heating element 34.

Since the source of heat for the grill-heater units is electrical, thecreation of smoke, gases, etc. will be kept to a minimum; however, it ispreferable that an exhaust opening (not shown) be located'in the ceilingabove the tables.

The present invention has been described in particular relation to asingle grill-heater unit 18 for each table 10; however, it should beunderstood that there might be situations where it would be desirable tohave elongated tables with a plurality of grill-heater units 18 set inspaced recesses along the elongated table.

Whereas the present invention has been described in particular relationto the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other andfurther modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, maybe made within the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A grill-heater for restaurant tables or the like comprising a housingadapted to project downwardly into a recess in the table, said housingbeing open at the upper end thereof, an electrical heating unit mountedadjacent the bottom of said housing, an inner 7 grid member mounted insaid housing and spaced above said electrical heating unit and beingadapted to support thereon a plurality of heat storing members and anouter grill member supported over the upper end of said housing forheating food thereon.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 including an outer casing alsomounted in said recess below said housing and surrounding the same.

3. Improvement according to claim 1 including a cover member supportedabove said outer grill mem ber.

4. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein said cover is providedwith at least one aperture and a cooking vessel received in saidaperture and supported by said cover for heating food in said vesselover said outer grill member.

5. The improvement according to claim 1 including a fine-wire meshscreen supported over the upper end of said housing and underlying saidouter grill member.

' 4K I I! I

1. A grill-heater for restaurant tables or the like comprising a housingadapted to project downwardly into a recess in the table, said housingbeing open at the upper end thereof, an electrical heating unit mountedadjacent the bottom of said housing, an inner grid member mounted insaid housing and spaced above said electrical heating unit and beingadapted to support thereon a plurality of heat storing members and anouter grill member supported over the upper end of said housing forheating food thereon.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1 includingan outer casing also mounted in said recess below said housing andsurrounding the same.
 3. Improvement according to claim 1 including acover member supported above said outer grill member.
 4. The improvementaccording to claim 3 wherein said cover is provided with at least oneaperture and a cooking vessel received in said aperture and supported bysaid cover for heating food in said vessel over said outer grill member.5. The improvement according to claim 1 including a fine-wire meshscreen supported over the upper end of said housing and underlying saidouter grill member.